Jun 14, 2009

Yeah, you knew it. Deep down you knew this pile of recycling was going to be another robot didn't you! The kids still adore robots of all types and WALL-E is the king of robots in thier hearts, because he's not only a hero and an all round lovely guy, but he's been to outer space "for real".

I had a yellow dollar store square plastic bucket with handles that was used for the main part of his body and everything else was hot glued on and painted with either yellow or grey paint. Here's a few pics of him being put together and the kids painting bits...

His eyes were two yoghurt pots with two halfs of a tape dispenser glued on top.

The front of his body was made from half of the plastic container that held Safeway susan cookies. PSA: Never buy safeway susan cookies if you have long term plans to fit in the trousers you own. It's impossible to eat less than, oh I don't know, twelve pounds of them in one sitting.

Wall-e's hands were made from some random odd shaped bits of cardboard packaging and arms were a couple of large craft popsicle sticks and cardboard tubes.

The black thing on his front was the blank tray from a laptop's dvd slot.

His neck joint was the pouring spout from a fabric softener bottle.

His caterpillar tracks were made from some corrugated cardboard from random boxes and round things like empty tape rolls and empty single serving pots of apple sauce and a couple of bottle lids.I cut a square hole in the susan cookie lid, so that I could make his front open up like in the movie and the kids can keep stuff/hide stuff in his body. I'd love to find the time to sew them a little felt boot with a fake plant in it, just like in the movie.

Lastly the buttons and wall-e logo and solar power meter on his front were just drawn onto old styrofoam take away tray material with markers and cut out and glued on.

He's a cutie, and the great thing with this was that because Wall-e is a battered old robot, you don't have to be too careful about how you slap him together. The messier he is, the more like the real Wall-e he will look ;). I have no idea what to do now if they ask for EVE to go with him. I fear that she's a bit too slick to pull off with random junk from the recycling bin. Maybe papier mache?

I heartily recommend saving any bits and bobs of recycling that you think are interesting shapes. I have a stash out in the garage that it's really useful to delve into for projects like this. The kids get a kick out of helping to make toys out of junk and I'm really hoping that as they get older I can let them have more creative free reign with the glue gun. Maybe they will make me a hot tub out of recycling one day!

Absolutely delightful and clever and supreme! I am ashamed to say I haven't yet watched Wall-E, but then the last movie I watched must have been about 2 years ago. But we are big enough Pixar fans to know what it's about and what he looks like. You and the girls did such a fabulous job with him - he's so, so cute. I wish we had a stash of fun potential robot-parts. The husband throws them out with the trash or recycling each week. First he refuses to let me build the ginormous rocket. Then this. Methinks he's anticraft.

This is so amazing and maybe the best use of recycled bits and bobs ever! I'd love to share this on Ohdeedoh.com and introduce our readers to your wonderful blog. I can't figure out how to email you, but if you're game you can contact me at carrie@apartmentherapy.com

I have a blog about Disney stuff (micepost.wordpress.com) written in portuguese and every sunday I post something funny on it. I would love to put one of these pictures linking to your blog, would you let me? Please let me know as soon as possible!

This is so 100% awesome and wall-e is one of my favorite movies. I cant wait to try to make this guy just to make my inner child happy. thanks for sharing. i'm going to post a link on my blog to this. i love it so much!

This is great! I remember when I was younger I loved to make stuff like this and my mum encouraged it and now I'm doing an industrial design degree. I have to say the way you made this is incredible! Looks just like the 'proper' wall-e.

This is so incredible, my son is ape over Wall-E and I dare not show him this because he will be begging me for it and well I just don't know that I am that talented. I did make him a Wall-E out of Legos once it was a hit. Thanks for sharing your awesomeness.

I just found your site through One Pretty Thing a short while ago and have so enjoyed looking back through all of your creative projects! You're amazing... will you be my friend? You rock!This Wall E is especially AWESOME! I can't stop thinking about it! I've already started setting aside my recyclables in order to try it with my girls. They loved the movie and will be over the moon if we can pull this project off.I'll be sure to link to our finished project if it looks even half as good as yours. Thanks so much for sharing this with us! Nice to have "met you" and looking forward to seeing what else you've got up your super creative sleeves.

Your Wall e looks awsome!!! My 12 year old son was even impressed and in my opinion that is pretty hard to do. We are going to use more of our recycleables to come up with fun projects, and your blog is so inspirational.

wow its amazing for the kid. your work inspired my kids to create new ideas and utilize time in some creative work inpite of wasting it for watching TV and Playing Computer & Mobile Games during summer holydays. Thanks & keep it up .

Hi, you saved my life. My 7 year old had to build a robot as a school assignment and I had no clue of how to proceed. We adapted your design to the materials we had. It came out great and my boy is beaming. Thank you!

Another amazing piece of kidcraftwomanship! I've just discovered our blog and am so impressed. I ask what kind of paint you use, as I've always found it difficult to get paint to 'stick' to clear plastic.Thanks.

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This blog is for all my friends with preschoolers and all my kid's friends who are preschoolers.

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Fangletronics

The man that I am affiliated with also has a blog. He loves to make stuff with and for our kids as well. His domain is more in the realms of electronics, but he makes other stuff too. Check out his electronic fangling over at Fangletronics.